The Phnom Penh Municipality will begin a land titling process tomorrow for residents living at the capital’s Boeung Kak lake who were initially excluded from a resettlement deal granted by Prime Minister Hun Sen in August. Chhay Rithysen, director of the municipal land management department, told residents from village 22 in Daun Penh district’s Srah Chak commune yesterday that officials would measure plots in order to issue land titles for them. “We will continue to register land titles for you all [at Boeung Kak],” he said. Residents from villages 1, 6, 22 and 24 were cut out of a 12.44-hectare onsite relocation area set aside for 746 families facing eviction to make way for a real-estate project being developed by Shukaku Inc, a firm run by ruling-party senator Lao Meng Khin.

The premier signed a sub-decree setting aside the area for families that had yet to accept compensation offers. In September, residents protested at the Srah Chak commune office, claiming they had been denied land titles. The protests continued after local officials revealed that Shukaku Inc had been granted 21 titles in the relocation area. Municipal deputy cabinet chief Koet Chhe said 300 titles would be issued to residents early next month.